Just found out about this sitcom from 1999, anyone know a bit more about it? Would love to see it, anyone know if it was released on video or DVD, or any episodes online?
All Along The Watchtower
Well, what more about it do you want to know? 
It's never been released, as you'll see from the lack of a 'Merchandise' section in the guide. 
No idea if episodes are available online.
I don't remember this. But with that title, setting and premise I'm surprised I didn't write it.
Does anyone remember seeing it?
I love the premise of it, sounds really interesting, a bit "Whisky Galore" or "Local Hero".
In an interview, Pete Sinclair (also the co-writer of "Lead Balloon") said that the BBC, in their infinite wisdom, put it in the "Last of the Summer Wine" slot and canned it after it averaged 4 million viewers on a Sunday night.
Quote: Tony Cowards @ April 23 2010, 1:55 PM BSTDoes anyone remember seeing it?
Yep! I spent a decade tracking it down, after missing a few due to their scheduling insanity. Really enjoyed it.
Quote: Tony Cowards @ April 23 2010, 1:55 PM BSTI love the premise of it, sounds really interesting, a bit "Whisky Galore" or "Local Hero".
I don't know what either of those are, but it's about as far from Lead Balloon as you could get. Quite the family show. Perhaps not quite as 'broad' as My Family etc, but still quite down that studio sitcom road.
I recall seeing a bit of one episode, reminded me of a more lucid Father Ted, i.e 3 men somewhere they didnt want to be. The actor who played Flight Leiutenant Harrison, Chris Lang, was an original member of The Housemartins
I remember it. I remember liking it but not loving it. Was it on on a Sunday at some point?
It came at the arse end of the 1990s when its type of show was becoming extinct almost.
Aaron, "Whiskey Galore" is an old Ealing style movie set during the war, a ship carrying a cargo of Whiskey sinks just off the coast of a group of Scottish islands and it's about the locals efforts to steal the whisky and hide it from the official who turns up to claim it for the Government.
"Local Hero" is an eighties film about a company sending a lawyer to a small Scottish fishing village to buy them out so that they can build an oil refinery and him falling in love with the place (and a marine biologist).
They are both very funny films featuring some stunning Scottish scenery, check them out.
Ahhh, yes, never seen it but I do know of Whiskey Galore. Doesn't seem to be available on DVD though - I'll check eBay out later. (Ah, wait, it is; no 'e' in Whisky.) Local Hero sounds exactly the same as All Along The Watchtower though!
David: The answer to your question can be found in the guide, linked to above.
This for me was a fantastic comedy carrying on in a similar vein to Dad's Army etc etc and was all too quickly canned by Auntie (the BBC). The comedy was very straight forward, clean, never overly complex (a bit like the airman in the series) and just worked. I did manage to tape and keep a number of episodes but again due to the Beeb's bad scheduling missed I believe 2 of them, but I still have either 4 or 5 on DVD that I copied from my video recorder...does anyone out there have any copies that they want to match up with mine so we can get a full series.
Watched the first 4 episodes on the DVD that Aaron so kindly sent me and enjoying it.
It's not ground breaking or anything but good, solid mainstream comedy, with some nice performances (although I not so keen on the main character, he's a bit too smarmy and unlikable in my opinion).
Interesting to see Mark Heap (Spaced, Green Wing, etc) and Lynne from "Alan Partridge" pop up as a holidaying couple in one of the episodes.
It reminds me quite a lot of "Father Ted" in places, although not as good and without the manic, slightly surreal edge.
I certainly think it was unlucky to get canned after one series, I think it could've really gone on and become very successful with a little perseverance.
Quote: Aaron @ April 23 2010, 1:41 PM BSTNo idea if episodes are available online.
Tried where I normally look, nothing but a left handed, over amplified, over rated guitarist !
All 6 episodes are indeed loose and running around the web. 
The show feels older than 1999; if I had to guess after watching it I'd guessed 1989. That could just be down to encoding from VHS tapes... so you get the double image loss of VHS>.avi. That said it's a nice little series that I'd probably pick up on DVD if it were released.
*edit*
Try adding "s01" when searching.
Quote: Aaron @ April 26 2010, 2:25 PM BSTDavid: The answer to your question can be found in the guide, linked to above.
I remembered well! Sundays it was!
When these obscure old sitcoms are mentioned by others, I do find it incredibly reassuring - as it confirms that they did really exist and were not just a delusional by-product of my drinking days.